Ice tray



March 2, 1937.

I J. H. MINER ICE TRAY Filed March 14, 1936 INVE.NTOR h. Mme!" Patented Mar. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE James H. Miner, Meridian, Miss.

Application March 14, 1936, Serial No. 68,929

17 Claims.

This invention relates to ice trays and more particularly to those intended for use in domestic .mechanical refrigerators.

Ordinary ice trays are a source of annoyance because of the difficulty had in removing the frozen ice from them. This difficulty is accentuated because the ice freezes not only to the tray but to the subdividing means as well. An object of the present invention is to facilitate the removal of the ice by providing means which break the adhesion of the ice to both the tray and to the subdividing means.

The particular manner in which this improved result is obtained, and other objects of the invention, will appear from the followingdescription.

In the drawing-- Figure l is a plan view of the ice tray prior to the freeing of the ice.

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly broken away of Fig. 1. s

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a section similar to Fig. 3 subsequent to the freeing of theice. n Figure 5 is a detail view of the transverse parti- The tray 5 is of conventional shape, being oblong and having steeply sloping side walls. Centrally of the long sides of the tray, however, the side walls are extended upwardly to form'vertically extendingportions 6. These vertical portions 6 are preferably above the normal water line so as to be free to be engaged by a lever to be described.

Projecting inwardly from the long sides of the tray are transverse partitions 1. The partitions on opposite sides of the tray are in line with each other and project nearly to the center of the tray so that there is a slight gap between their adjacent inner ends. These transverse partitions are affixed, as by welding, to the tray only at their uppermost portions at theside walls of the tray, as shown at 8. The remainder of the partitions although normally in close contact with the tray,

is free'thereof.

The transversed partitions are so shaped as to extend beneath the contained ice. This is effected in the present instance by forming the partitions with downwardly divergent side faces. In addition to this downward divergence, the side faces are flared outwardly toward the side walls of the tray. As a result of this formation, the upper edge of the partition is substantially a line and (Cll. 62-1085) tact with the inner ends of the transverse partitions. Centrally of the longitudinal partition, its upper edge is of increased height as shown at I!) and through this portion of the partition is an opening II. This opening II is above the water line so that it cannot become closed with ice.

In freeing the frozen ice, a lever i2 is inserted through the opening H until its far end engages the vertical portion 6 of the far side of the tray. The lever is then lowered so as to bring a boss [3 projecting therefrom against the inner side of the vertical portion 6 of the near wall of the tray. It will be noted that the boss [3 is located at such a distance from the far end of the lever that the lever must assume a diagonal position across the tray.

Upon movement of the lever to a perpendicular position with respect to the tray, the side walls of the tray will be spread apart. In so moving the lever it will be apparent that the central partition serves as a fulcrum to hold the lever in position to assure spreading of the side walls. Outward movement of the side walls will tend to incline the transverse partitions as shown in Fig. 4. Because the partitions at their lower portions are free of the side walls of the tray below the weld 8, the partitions can swing away from the side walls and break the ice loose. In the same manner, because the partitions are free of the bottom of the tray, the partitions lift from the bottom and break the ice loose. The ice is asv sisted in being carried with the partitions away from the sides and bottom of the tray, due to as has been noted. This movement of the ice from the tray necessarily results in the ice becoming free of the longitudinal and transverse partitions. To obtain the ice cubes it is merely necessary to turn the tray over. a

After the removal of the ice the tray assumes its initial shape because of its inherent resiliency. That is, the sides of the tray tend to spring inwardly to the position shown in Figs. 1 to 3 and contact the longitudinal partition. To insure this result, the traymay be made of stainless steel although the invention is not limited to use with this material. The material used should be capable of receiving a high surface polish since this contributes to the ease with which the ice may be freed. The lever'may be made of tempered steel so as to have the desired rigidity.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with an elongated ice tray having yieldable side walls, of a fulcrum disposed inwardly of the tray, and a lever extending transverse to the length of the tray and engaging with said fulcrum and also engaging with a long side wall of the tray to move said wall outwardly for enabling removal of the ice.

2. The combination with an ice tray having yieldable side walls, of a fulcrum disposed in wardly of the tray, and a lever engaging with said fulcrum and also engaging with opposite side walls of the tray to spread said walls apart and enable removal of the ice.

3. The combination with an ice tray having yieldable side walls, of an upstanding partition disposed inwardly of the tray, said partition providing a fulcrum for a lever, and a lever engaging with said partition to fulcrum thereon, and engaging also with opposite side walls of the tray to urge them outwardly and free the contained ice.

4. The combination with an ice tray having yieldable side Walls, of an upstanding partition extending lengthwise of the tray and disposed centrally thereof, said partition providing centrally of its upper edge means for fulcruming a lever, and a lever engaging with said means to fulcrum thereon, and engaging also with opposite side walls of the tray for urging them apart to free the contained ice.

5. The combination with an ice tray having yieldable side walls, of an upstanding partition disposed inwardly of the tray, said partition having an aperture therethrough at its upper edge above the water line to receive a lever, and a lever disposedwithin said aperture and engaging with opposite side walls of the tray for urging them apart to free the contained ice, the walls of said aperture retaining the lever in engagement with the walls of the tray.

6. The combination with an ice tray having yieldable side Walls, of an upstanding partition disposed longitudinally of the tray. lateral partitions disposed transversely of the tray and contacting the longitudinal partition to retain it in position, said longitudinal partition providing a fulcrum for a lever, and a lever fulcruming on said longitudinal partition and engaging with opposite side walls of the tray to urge them outwardly and free the contained ice.

7. The combination with an ice tray having yieldable side walls, of a removable upstanding partition extending the entire length of the tray at the center thereof, said partition projecting above the water level at the mid-point of the tray and having an opening therethrough to receive a lever, lateral partitions disposed transversely of the tray and contacting said removable partition to retain it upright at the center of the tray, and a lever extending through the opening in the central partition and engaging with opposite side walls of the tray to urge them outwardly and free the contained ice.

8. An ice tray having yieldable side walls, said walls inclining upwardly and outwardly of the tray throughout the major portion of their height and being vertical at their uppermost portions, said vertical portions providing bearing surfaces to be engaged by a member spreading said walls apart to free the contained ice.

9. In combination, an ice tray having yieldable side walls, the longitudinal walls inclining upwardly and outwardly of the tray to above the water level but being vertical above the water level, a member disposed Within the tray and providing a fulcrum for a lever, and a lever engaging with the fulcrum and having means engaging with the vertical portions of the side walls to spread them apart and free the contained ice.

10. The combination with an ice tray having yieldable side walls, of an upstanding partition disposed longitudinally of the tray and at the center thereof, and transverse partitions between the central partition and the side walls of the tray, said transverse partitions being aflixed only at their upper portions to a side wall of the tray, the remainder of the transverse partitions being unaflixed either to the tray or to the central partition.

11. The combination with an ice tray having yieldable side walls, of a removable upstanding partition disposed centrally of the tray and extending throughout the length thereof, and transverse partitions affixed at their upper portions only to the side walls of the tray and contacting the central partition at their inner ends to retain the central partition in position, the transverse partitions being free of attachment except at said upper portion.

12. The combination with an ice tray having yieldable side walls, of a plurality of partitions disposed transversely of the tray, said partitions extending inwardly from the side walls of the tray a distance approximately half the width of the tray, said partitions being affixed to the tray only at their upper portions adjacent the side walls.

13. The combination with an ice tray having yieldable side walls, of a plurality of partitions projecting inwardly from opposite side walls of the tray, the partitions of one side being in line with the partitions of the other side and having their inner edges adjacent the central line through the tray, said partitions being affixed to the tray only at their upper portions adjacent the side walls.

14. The combination with an ice tray having yieldable side walls, of a plurality of partitions projecting inwardly from a side wall of the tray, said partitions being affixed to the tray only at their upper portions on one side thereof, the faces of said partitions extending underneath the ice to elevate the ice with the partitions.

15. The combination with an ice tray having yieldable side walls, of a plurality of partitions projecting inwardly from a side wall of the tray, said partitions being affixed to the tray only at their upper portions on one side thereof, the side faces of said partitions generally diverging downwardly to extend underneath the ice and elevate the ice with the elevation of the partitions.

16. The combination with an ice tray having yieldable side walls, of a plurality of partitions projecting inwardly from a side wall of the tray, said partitions being affixed to the tray only at their upper portions on one side thereof, the side faces of said partitions generally diverging downwardly and also flaring to be of greatest thickness beneath the point of attachment of the partitions.

1'7. A sheet metallic ice tray having flexible side walls biased to spring normally toward the center of the tray and a partition attached to one wall and extending in a direction transverse of the tray to limit the inward movement of the side walls and mark divisions in the ice, said flexible side walls being movable outwardly of the tray against said normal bias, to free the contained ice.

JAMES H. MINER. 

